Trolley-retriever.



F. A.`WASSON. TROLLEYRETRIEVER. APPLICATION man Nov.21. 1912.

Patented Jun@ 15, 1915.

W/ TNEJJM.

Unrrnn sparire rirrnivr orrron A. WASSON, OF MILVAUKEE, WISCONSIN;

TROLLEY-RETRIEVER. u

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June i 1915.

' Application filed Novemberm, 1912. Serial No. 732,658.

This invention has for its object to proi vide -means for automaticallylowering an ing connection swinging movement electric railway trolley to'a position where it will produce no injury to the overhead structure inthe event of the trolley leaving 'It is necessaryI that the the trolleywire. trolley wheel be held firmly againstV the trolley .wire and inorder to maintain a proper electrical connection therewith and that thetrolley be permitted to have a maintain such connection notwithstandingthe variation in the elevation of the trolley wire owing to its distantpoints of suspension. 'When the trolley wheel leaves the wire it swingsupwardly with force and unless immediately retracted is liable to causedamage' to the overhead structure or receive injury therefrom. n

The present inventionis designed to utilizecompressed air from the usualair brake system or from another' source for automatil cally. retractingthe trolley when it makes a sudden upward movement on leaving 4the wire,without interfering with the slower.

swinging movements of the trolley in maintaining its connection with thewire.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in thetrolley retriever as herein claimed and all equivalents.

' In the accompanying drawings which repi resent a sectional elevationof a trolley constructed in accordance with this invention but havingthe upper end removed, 1 indicates thetrolley frame which is pivotallymounted at 2 between upstanding brackets 3 on a rotatable base 4r whichhas a ball bear- 5 within a-ring 6 adapted to be fastened to the roof ofthe car. The pole 7 carrying the usual trolley wheel, not shown, issecured to the upper end of. the frame 1 and coil springs 8 connect theupper end of the frame with the upper ends of brackets 3 for holding thetrolley vin its engagement with the wire,

States, and resident f A passageway 13 leads from in Aorder that it mayA cylinder 9 is mounted on the trolley base a and contains a piston 10withits'conf necting rod 11 connecting with a lug 12 onthe frame 1 at ashort distance above the pivotal connection 2. The swinging move#mentsof the trolley on the'pivotal connection 2 cause reciprocating'movements of the piston within the cylinder.

the closed end of the cylinder 9 and communicates with the swiveled pipeconnection 14 at the cen-` ter of thetrolley base i which hasfa pipe 15leading therefrom to the casing 16 of an automatic valve. This casingforms coaXial cylindrical chambers of different diameters, the lowerchamber being the 'smaller and having a pipe 17 from the compressed airreservoir of an air-brake .system or other supply connected therewith.

A bushing 18 lforming a tapering valve seat at its upper end is 'ittedwithin the i smaller chamber of the valve casing against a shoulder 19and a bushing QOform's a removable lining for the larger chamber of thevalve casing. y

A valve member 21 fits within the bushing 20 at its upper end and itslower end of smaller diameter freely passes through the bushing 18 whileits conical intermediate portion lits upon' the valve seat of bushing 18to close the passageway through the valve casing. The valve is held inits lower seated position by, the pressure of a springt@ containedtherein and engaged at its upper end by a set screw 23. l A gasket 2lilet into the bottom of the screw cap 25 of the bvalve casing forms aseat for an annular flange on the top of the valve member to preventtheleakage of air past the valve when the valve is in its upper position. l

rPhe-pressure of spring 22 under the adjustment of the set screw 23 issuch that the pressure conveyed to vthelower end of the valve casingfrom the compressed air reservoir by pipe 17 is insufficient to lift thevalve oif of its conical seat and consequently atmospheric pressure onlyis contained withinthe pipe 15 and the cylinder. The slight variationsin pressure due to the slow reciprocating movements of the piston fromthe ordinary changes Ain elevation of the'- of air around the-piston andthe automatic. valve itself is'provided with a leakway consisting of agroove 27 in bushing 20 and an the assistance of the pressure from thepressure reservoir to lift the valve and hold it tightly against .itsgasket 2li against the leakage of pressure thereareund. Ihis opening ofthe valve, however, admits the high pressure air from the compressed airreservoir to the cylinder through pipe 15 and its action upon the pistonl0 iswto immediately lower thetrolley to thepesition shown in the lowerdotted lines.

The open end of the cylinder is provided with a ring 29'with an annularflange 30 extending within the cylinder to lit the inner wall of thepiston and form between it and the wall of the cylinder a pocket ordashpot to cushion the outward movement of the piston and prevent thetrolley being thrown with force against the car roof.

A rubber or othergasket 31. may be lo-1 cated at the end of the dashpotto be engaged by the edge of the piston and a bleed opening 32 may beformed in the flange 30 topermit a slow escape of air from the dashpot.

It is desirable thoughl not necessary to provide a signal means whichwill be operated by the compressed airon the opening of the automaticvalve and I have shown such a means in the form of a whistle 33 in thepipe connection 15 which will sound an alarm as long as the automaticvalve is open. In order that the trolley may be released from its--lower position in which itis forced` and held bythe compressed air inthe cylinder a three-way cock 34: is provided in the compressed airsupply pipe 17 and by means thereof lthe supply of compressed air to theautomatic valve may be shut off andthe valve casing opened lto theatmosphere. This permits ,of thel exhaust of the compressed air in thevalve casing and the cylinder, permitting. the springs 8 to restore theltrolley to its normal condition and permitlting the springi23 to returntheautomatic valve to its seated position. After the auto-- matic valveis seated the three-way cock 34 is returned t'o its normal position asshown' and the ndeviceis again readyfor operation.

` By means ofthis invention the trolley is, withdrawn quickly throughautomatic meansI actuated by the quick upward movement off the trolleywhen it ,leaves the wire and its" ficiently cushioned to leaves thewire.

downward movement' while forcible is sufprevent its doing 1njury to thecar..

lVhile the device i'sfoperated by com-- pressed air there is no waste ofair pressure as the air from the reservoir 1s only admitted to thecylinder when the trolley What I claim as new and `by Letters Patent is:

1.- In a trolley retriever, an automatic valve comprising a casingcontaining a valve seat, a spring pressed valve member seated thereinand provided with separate pressure desire to l`secure areas on oppositesides of the valve seat but on the same side of the valve member, acompressed air supply means having communication with one lpressure areaof the valve member, and a trolley swinging motor having communicationwith Athe other pressure area of the valve member.'

2. In a trolley retriever, an automatic valve for controlling the supplyof pressure Vfluid to a trolley swinging' motor, comprising acasing-forming avalve chamber with a valve seat between its upperportion and its lower portion, a valve member contained within the valvechamber and fitting the upper portion thereof and adapted to be s seatedon the valve seat, a fluid pressure supply means connected with thecasing beneath the valve seat, a pipe connection for the trolleySwinging motor connecting with the casing between the valve seat and theupper end of the Valve, and a spring holding the valve member onits seatwith sufficient pressure to withstand the pressure from the pressure yfluid supply means acting on the area of the valve within the valve seatbut capable of being overcome by 'such pressure when augmentedbypressure beneath the upper end of the valve memberl from ,the trolleyswinging motor when the trolley leaves the trolley wire.

f 3. In a, trolley retriever, an automatic valve for controlling thesupply, of pressure 'fluid to a trolley swinging motor, comprising acasing forming a valve chamber with a valve seat between its upperportion and its lower portion, a valve member contained y:within thevalve chamber and fitting the upper portion thereof and adapted to beseated on the valve seat, a fluid pressure supply means connected withthe casing beneath the valve seat, a pipe connection for the trolleyswing-.

mg motor connecting with the casing between the valveseat and the upperend of the valve, a spring holding the valve member -on its seat withlsutlicient pressure to withstand the pressure from the pressure Huidsupply, means acting onthe'area of the valve lio [within the valve seatbut capable of being overcome by suoli pressure when augmented bypressure beneath the upper end of the valve member from the trolleyswinging v2o "than its upperportion and loosely 'i'tting vinotor'wlzxenthe trolley leaves the trolley 4 wire, there being a ventpassagewayaround thegpertion of the valve member which fits thefl'val-ve casingand through the upper upper `portion. of larger diameterI than its 'Ylower .poi-tion,- a bushingffitting p within the lower portion ofthevalve chamber and forming at its lower end a tapering-valve seat, abushing within the upper portion of the valve casing, .ahollo'w valvemember having its lower portion ofsmallerdiameter within the valve seatbushing land its upper portion' fitting within the other provided-with atapering intermediate portion adapted to be seatedon the valveiseat, afluid' pressure supply means connected with the casing beneath thevalve'seat a pipe "connection Afor the t trolley vswinging motorconnecting with the casing between the valve seatpand the upper end ofthe i i .valve, a sprmg within the valve, la screw in the top of thevalve casing engaging the 'spring and adapted to adjust the pressurethereof, said spring holdingthe valve member on itsseat. with suiicientpressure to withstand theI pressure from the pressure fluid supply meansacting on the area of the valve within the valve seat but capableofbeing overcome by less pressurevwhen augmented by pressure beneath theupper end of the valve member from the trolley swinging motor'when thetrolley leaves the trolley wire, there being a groove in the bushingvalve member ttino' within lsaid bushing casing engaged by the' flangefor closing communication between the groove and the vent openingwhenthe valve is n its open position.`

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.4

FRANK A. Wasson- Witnsssb- KATHERINE Hour.

at the upper end of the lvalve casing forming 4a vent passageway aroundthe portion of the and a ventjopening 1n the top of the valve leasing, a-ange on the upper end of the V'valve' member, and a gasket on the valvev

